Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek ‘Was Not Our Friend,’ Says National Association of Theatre Owners Chief

CinemaCon: Outgoing NATO CEO John Fithian says current Disney leaders value movie theaters more than their streaming-focused former chief

Bob Chapek John Fithian

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John Fithian, the retiring CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, is optimistic that the box office will soon be back to its pre-pandemic highs, and the recent exit of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek is one of the reasons why.

Fithian believes that the current state of Hollywood is very advantageous for movie theaters, as the vast majority of legacy and streamer studios are recommitting to releasing films of all budgets and genre films exclusively in theaters. This includes Disney, which Fithian feels wasn’t as good a partner to exhibitors when Chapek was in charge.

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